Never Knew I Needed
by H20loo
Summary: It takes them a while, and their lives go through many changes, but Tiana and Lottie finally realize what love and family truly mean for them.


Never Knew I Needed

A/N: Hello, and thank you for reading. This is a couple that I think is woefully underrepresented so I decided to try to tackle a story about them. I hope you like it. And if anyone of you lovely readers read my Elsanna stuff, they make a cameo at the end. :)

 _They made love slowly, tenderly, and when Tiana's mouth started to map Lottie's skin, she thought about happiness. People like her -colored, female, just this side of queer- weren't supposed to get their happy endings, at least not in God-fearing 20_ _th_ _Century White America. But, with her hands buried in grey-streaked yellow curls and her lips caressing the milky-white breast of the woman she lived for, Tiana had found her Heaven on Earth, her very own happy ending, and there was no one that could surpass her joy._

1929 - Twenty Years Earlier

"Louisa Rae Winfrey!" Tiana called. "If you don't get down here this instant, I won't have time to drop you off at school!"

"Coming, Mama!" a young voice called down from the stairs. A second later, a seven-year-old bundle of energy came bounding down the stairs, her deep brown curls bouncing along with her. "Morning, Mama!" Louisa said cheerfully, giving her Mama a hug. "Is Daddy coming home today?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, sugar," Tiana confirmed. "His boat arrived in New York right on schedule, and his train gets in this afternoon. He'll probably be home when you get home from school…if we ever get you to school, that is," she teased.

Louisa giggled. "I'm ready, Mama," she promised.

"It looks like you are, sugar," Tiana said approvingly. "You go get the Packard warmed up while I grab my purse. I'll meet you out there." Louisa eagerly took the keys and ran for the garage, and Tiana smiled after her. Louisa loved anything that involved an automobile, and she loved the Packard. It had been gently-used when Lottie decided to sell it, but it was still a gorgeous car, and Tiana had jumped at the chance to buy it. Now her daughter had fallen in love with it, too. After a moment of searching, Tiana found her handbag and joined her daughter outside, sliding into the driver's side seat.

It was a gorgeous autumn morning in New Orleans as the Packard bounced along, and in no time at all, the car stopped before a beautiful mansion in one of the city's nicest neighborhoods. A childish squeal of glee came from behind the wrought-iron gate, and in seconds a curly-haired blonde emerged. "Louie Rae!" the girl yelled excitedly, and Tiana rolled her eyes affectionately.

"I swear that child becomes more and more like her mother every day," she said under her breath.

As Louisa yelled back "Carrie Rey!", Tiana's point was proved when another blonde came out from behind the gate.

"Tia!" Lottie squealed.

"Good Morning, Lottie," Tiana responded warmly but a little less enthusiastically than the other occupant of her car.

"Morning, Sugar!" Lottie chirped as she slid into the front seat and Carrie slipped into the back.

The ride to school was pleasant as always, with the girls chattering in the back and Lottie doing most of the talking in the front. When the car came to a halt in front of St. Marie's, the girls hopped out, gave their respective mothers kisses on their cheeks and then skipped off to school. Tiana waited until both girls were safely behind the school doors before she pulled away.

"I am so glad that Carrie and Louie are going to the same school," Lottie mused as the car drove down the street.

"Well, they wouldn't be if it weren't for you and Big Daddy," Tiana replied. "They weren't too keen on letting a colored girl in."

"We had nothing to do with it," Lottie said instantly, even though they both knew that statement was a lie. "You are one of the most successful restaurateurs in New Orleans, and her Daddy is a prince. You are the kind of people an exclusive school like that loves to have."

"Except that we both have brown skin," Tiana pointed out.

"You do?" Lottie gasped in feigned shock. "Why I never, Miss Tiana. I can't believe you have been deceiving me all of these years."

Tiana saw the deflection for what it was, but she let it go. Race was an odd, touchy subject for them, in spite of their many years of being friends. For as entitled as she had always been, Lottie was amazingly colorblind about Tiana and her family, yet she was still white and rich, making her more important in the eyes of society. Tiana could sense that these racial politics bothered Lottie, but there was nothing either one of them could do about it, so it made discussion like this awkward until the conversation moved back into safer topics. "So when is Naveen back?" Lottie asked casually, changing the subject and easing the awkwardness.

"This afternoon some time. I'll be glad when he is home more often," Tiana answered, signaling her right turn to take them towards the waterfront. "Where is Travis today?"

"Following Big Daddy around like a puppy dog desperately trying to learn the business," Lottie replied with a roll of her eyes. "I still don't know how you convinced me to marry _him_ instead of waiting for my prince."

"Naveen's brother is still only 15, Lottie," Tiana reminded her with a raised eyebrow.

"I suppose," Lottie grumbled, but her smirk gave her away.

"Besides, is Travis so bad?" Tiana prompted teasingly as she parked the car in her restaurant's parking lot. "You know he loves you and your baby girl to distraction."

"He does," Lottie allowed, "and I love my baby girl with all of my heart, but…"

"But?" Tiana echoed in surprise, looking over at Lottie instead of opening the car door.

"But sometimes I feel like I settled, Tia," Lottie replied pensively, concerning Tiana who rarely saw her bubbly friend this thoughtfully melancholy. "I had a dream, an impossible one, but it was _my_ dream, and it's slipping away from me," she said wistfully.

"I'm sorry, Lottie," Tiana said sincerely. "I had no idea you were so unhappy."

"I'm not really unhappy, Tia honey," Lottie answered, though her sad smile said otherwise. "I guess I'm just disappointed that what I've always wanted is so close, but still not mine to touch."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tiana asked concernedly, and Lottie let out a laugh that might have been a sob or a sob that might have been a laugh.

"Just be my friend, Tia," Lottie said, her eyes growing affectionate as she looked at her best friend. "That's all I'll ever ask of you. It's all I _can_ ask of you."

Tiana looked at her oldest friend uncertainly. Lottie was rarely sad, and her sadness worried Tiana. There was also a nagging thought in her mind that somehow she had a hand in Lottie's sadness, a thought that was encouraged by Lottie's unusual request of friendship when they had been friends since they were babies. "I'll always be your friend, Lottie," Tiana said with conviction. "Always."

"Good," Lottie stated, and Tiana's declaration seemed to snap her out of her doldrums. "Well now, I think we had best be getting in, don't you?" she said brightly, opening her car door and bounding out of the Packard.

"Right behind you, sugar," Tiana replied as she opened the car door and followed her friend in.

As much as Tiana wanted to dwell on the strange conversation with Lottie, the everyday demands of running her restaurant soon took over her thoughts, and soon she forgot all about it. Tiana was reminded briefly when Big Daddy and Travis came into have lunch with Lottie, but after Lottie left with them, the pre-dinner rush forced Lottie from her thoughts once more. Soon thereafter, an unexpected arrival caused her to forget everything else.

"Naveen!" Tiana exclaimed when she saw her husband leaning against one of her gleaming metal counters. "When did you get here, sugar?" she asked. "I thought you would go straight to the house."

"I wanted to see my favorite girls first," Naveen answered.

"Well, Louisa won't be here for another half hour or so," Tiana mentioned.

"Whatever will we do to occupy ourselves?" Naveen asked slyly, pushing himself off of the counter to give his wife a lingering kiss.

"Not that, at least not in here in my kitchen," Tiana said sternly when she had gently pushed him away.

"Such a pity," Naveen replied with a pout. "Well, since that is off the table, maybe we could surprise Louisa and pick her up from school?" he suggested.

"You are welcome to the Packard if you would like to, honey, but I have to stay here," Tiana said regretfully. "Dinner will soon be upon us, and we aren't quite ready yet." Naveen looked crushed, so Tiana thought for a moment. "But, if you help me out with your deft mincing skills, then maybe when Lottie drops our girl off, all three of us might have some time to make beignets to take home?" she offered.

"That sounds like a plan, Waitress," Naveen answered with a grin, tying on an apron and grabbing a knife.

As they chopped, they chatted about what had happened during the month Naveen had been in Maldonia, including Lottie's success as their new business manager and the convenience of Lottie and Tiana sharing school ride duties. Naveen talked some about his mother and father and the state of his country, and the time passed by very quickly. Before either one of them knew it, the kitchen door was opening, and they heard footsteps running towards them. "Daddy!" Louisa cried happily, launching herself into his arms.

"Hello, my princess!" Naveen exclaimed back, picking her up and twirling her. She giggled, and Naveen gave her a kiss before he sat her down.

"Your Daddy has promised to help out in the kitchen in exchange for beignets," Tiana told her daughter. "Would you be willing to make the same deal?" Louisa's eyes lit up, and she ran for an apron. Tiana laughed and together they finished up most of the food preparation before the dinner staff came in. Once they arrived, Tiana turned everything over to her executive chef, and as promised, the family made beignets. Once they were fried, Tiana put them in a paper bag and dumped copious amounts of powdered sugar on them. After shaking the bag, she handed it to Louisa. "Don't open the bag unless you want a face full of sugar," she playfully warned.

"I know, Mama," Louisa said with a roll of her eyes.

Tiana grinned at her, and Louisa smiled back at her. After one final check with her staff, Tiana and her family gathered their things and made their way to the Packard, all three of them glad to be on their way home together.

Later that night, after Louisa had been put to bed, Tiana and Naveen found themselves alone at last, and Tiana savored the feel of being snuggled up to her husband in the bed that they shared. She went to kiss him, but he pulled away, and she looked at him questioningly. "What is it, Naveen?" she asked, puzzled.

Naveen sighed. "We have to talk, Tiana," he said, his breath coming out in a weighted sigh.

"About what, sugar?" Tiana prompted gently, willing herself not to think the worst with how Naveen was acting.

"Mother and Father want me, want all of us, actually, to move back to Maldonia," Naveen stated, deciding that candor was best.

"Leave New Orleans?" Tiana questioned, her heart suddenly sinking. "But why, honey? They know we have our life here, and they have always supported it and us."

"They _do_ support us," Naveen assured his wife. "In fact, they are so supportive of what I've become here with you that they want me to become crown prince again. If that happened, I would need to be in my country."

"So they are so pleased at you becoming a responsible family man that they want to completely uproot that family?" Tiana asked in disbelief.

"I didn't say yes, Tiana," Naveen countered gently and calmly. "I told them I would talk to you about it."

"I'll need some time to think about it, Naveen," Tiana said truthfully.

"I would expect nothing less," Naveen responded. He went to touch her, but Tiana shrunk back, slipping out of bed and grabbing her robe.

Naveen watched her go with sad eyes. He was overjoyed at being reconciled with his parents, but he hated what it might mean for his life in New Orleans. He sighed and slipped beneath the covers, lying still and waiting for Tiana to come back. She never did, though, and eventually he fell asleep.

Downstairs, Tiana roamed her house, the house that had been bought with profits from Tiana's Palace. She loved this house; it was everything she and her Daddy had ever wanted in a house, and it had been built with her own money. Tiana took immense pride in that. She glanced up the stairs to where she knew her family was sleeping before she sighed and walked to the back porch. There, across the property, was the small house that she had built for her Mama. Tiana couldn't think of living without her, and as she considered things further, she was hard pressed to imagine Mama being completely comfortable amongst the royalty of Maldonia. Tiana sighed and sank down onto her couch as she came to one realization. She loved Naveen, and she was glad he was reconciled with his parents, but she did not want to go. She loved her life here, and she didn't want to sacrifice her dream for the sake of Naveen's. She knew society would consider her a selfish, undutiful wife, but that was the way she felt, and she knew her feelings wouldn't change.

In the morning, Naveen came downstairs to find Tiana already there, and from the look on her face, he knew that she had come to her decision. "I've thought about it for most of the night, and I don't want to go, Naveen," she confessed. "My life is in New Orleans. My mama is here, the restaurant I worked so hard to have and make successful is here, and everyone I love is here. As much as I want to support you, I don't want to give all of that up."

"I understand, Tiana, and I told my mother and father as much before I left," Naveen answered, crossing over and gathering her in his arms. "I'll still have to go from time to time, but we won't leave."

"Thank you," Tiana breathed, grateful that he was so understanding.

"You are always welcome, my Queen," he said, bending down and kissing her until their daughter came in and made a mock-disgruntled noise. "Good morning to you, too, Princess," her father chuckled. "I'll be right back," he said, giving Tiana a squeeze before letting her go. "I'm going to run out and get a paper." Tiana nodded and Naveen left. Not five minutes later, he was back, seemingly out of breath and with no newspaper.

"What is it, honey?" Tiana asked in alarm.

"There are hundreds of people in the street," he said. "There is something going on with the stock market and the banks."

"Really?" Tiana replied. "Let's see if the wireless can tell us anything." She flipped it on and tuned it, and soon a somber voice was telling them about the massive sell-off of stocks that was happening in New York. Companies and people that were once worth millions were now worth nothing. "Lord help us all," whispered Tiana, and Naveen could only nod soberly in agreement.

1934 – Five years later/Fifteen years earlier

Tiana took another look at her business ledger and sighed. There, detailed in Lottie's impeccable handwriting, was the engraved truth. Tiana's Palace was barely surviving. In fact, it probably should have been bleeding money, but Lottie had proven herself adept at creative economization. Tiana allowed herself a small smile as she continued to read the ledger. In spite of Lottie's reputation as a vivacious bubblehead, she was very much Big Daddy's daughter, and she was unexpectedly shrewd in business negotiations. She had negotiated with everybody that Tiana's Palace paid money to, and with her charm and bright blue eyes, she had managed to reduce what they were paying. Truthfully, it had helped that Tiana's Palace was one of the few businesses that still had money to spend during the Depression, and their vendors didn't want to lose their business. Even still, most of the credit for the cost reductions had to be given to Lottie.

As the Depression dragged on, though, business was becoming even scarcer, and Lottie's efforts were no longer enough. Now Tiana was faced with tough choices, which to her dismay, included laying off some of her people. She sighed again and closed the ledger, reaching for a pen and a piece of paper. She listed all of her employees and what they did for the restaurant, trying to see if there were any redundancies or jobs that could be combined. There were a few, and after much heartache and deliberation, Tiana had the names of the people that she would have to let go.

As Tiana looked over the list, her practicality told her that there should be one more name on it. Seeing as Tiana herself could keep the books, Lottie should have been on the list as well, but while practicality was all well and good, sentimentality would not let her fire her best friend, especially since Lottie actually needed the money. Travis had unexpectedly taken sick with the flu and had died last spring, and the Depression had hit Big Daddy's interests hard. Now a widow with a depleted trust fund, Lottie, like everyone in the Depression, was struggling, and after all she had done for Tiana, Tiana was never going to make the struggle harder if she could help it.

Her mind made up, Tiana reluctantly picked her list up off the kitchen table and went into the living room to grab her purse and the keys to the Packard. All of the Palace's employees were coming in this morning, and Tiana knew they were all smart enough to know why. Tiana was just hoping that their happiness at finding the restaurant wasn't closing down would be enough to counter the sadness of people losing their jobs when there weren't many more to be had. "Louie Rae!" she called to the back of the house. "I'm heading to the restaurant!"

"All right, Mama!" Louisa called back. "I'm going over to Carrie Rey's soon, but I'll be back for supper."

"I'll see you then, sugar," Tiana replied before she opened the door and headed on her way.

TTTTTTTTTT

The meeting at the Palace went better than Tiana had expected. Everyone had been sure that the meeting had been called to tell them that the restaurant was closing, so finding out it would remain open, albeit with reduced hours and reduced staffing, was an enormous relief to them all. Even those who had lost their jobs were relieved, even though they were sad to be leaving. Tiana promised to rehire them all when business improved, and all of them knew she was as good as her word. They all shared a farewell toast with a bottle of wine that Tiana had been holding back, and when the bottle had been consumed, her remaining staff got to work while Tiana hugged the others goodbye.

When Tiana got back to her office, she found Lottie waiting for her in one of her office chairs. Relieved to have someone to talk to after such a difficult morning, Tiana immediately started talking. "That was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life," she admitted, sinking into her office chair. "I think it went as well or better than could be expected though."

"It sure did, sugar," Lottie replied. "And I cannot tell you how much I admire you right now. I don't think I could have done what you just did."

"I did what I had to, Lottie," Tiana said resolutely, even though her tone was laced with regret.

"Almost everything," Lottie disagreed softly, and Tiana looked at her sharply. Lottie looked back at her steadily. "You follow everything and anything about this business, Tia," the blonde said. "You have to know that there is one more person that you should be letting go of."

Tiana kept her face neutral, but internally, she winced. She should have known Lottie's keen business sense would come back to haunt her. "There are no other redundancies in staffing," Tiana contradicted mildly. "Everyone that still works here is essential personnel."

"You know as well as I do that you can keep the books better than I can," Lottie said, fixing her best friend with an affectionate glare. " _I'm_ the redundancy, Tia, and you know it. My name should have been on that list."

"Well, it wasn't," Tiana stated simply.

"Tia," Lottie chided. Tiana refused to look at her, so Lottie got up from her chair and made her way to the other side of Tiana's desk. She perched herself on the desk's edge and reached for Tiana's hand. She began to stroke the back of the knuckles gently, and Tiana sighed. "We both know what needs to be done, sugar," Lottie said quietly. "If you don't want to fire me, I can hand in my resignation."

Tiana heard her words, but she wasn't really listening to them. All of her senses had somehow contracted to the feel of Lottie's skin brushing her own. Even though Lottie had touched her more times than she could count, that gentle touch was doing something to Tiana. It was making her body alert in a way it had never been before, and certain memories were sharpening into focus, memories of the last five years when Naveen had, more often than not, been in Maldonia. It had been Lottie by her side when she had needed someone, not her husband, Tiana realized, and somehow, the soft slide of Lottie's thumb, one that was slightly calloused by hours of holding a pencil, kept driving that point home, over and over. Slowly, Tiana looked up at Lottie. "I'm not going to lose you, Lottie," Tiana said, and her voice was unexpectedly rough.

Lottie startled at that, and her heart immediately reminded her of her dream, of those feelings that she had for Tiana that went back years, feelings that she had mostly successfully buried. Just as quickly, her mind told her that what Tiana had said didn't mean what it had sounded like. She was speaking as a friend and as an employer, not as a lover. "You won't lose me, sugar," Lottie assured her, attempting a smile that they both knew to be false.

The fake smile somehow managed to anger Tiana, and that anger broke through the morass her feelings has become from Lottie's touch. "Yes, I will," Tiana insisted. "Or, even if I don't, I _should_ lose you because I abandoned you in your time of need."

"You have your own life, Tia," Lottie protested. "You can't endanger your own livelihood for me. I won't let you."

"Fine, then I'll do it for Carrie Rey," Tiana countered. "She's my baby girl's best friend, and I won't let either of them suffer."

"Tia," Lottie said, using the same chiding tone she had used before. Tiana looked at her with a challenging glare before Lottie's other hand came to caress her cheek. Tiana's feelings from before came back even stronger, and the glare faded into a softer look. Lottie sighed. "Carrie and I will be fine, I promise," she swore.

"It's not like you to lie to me, Lottie," Tiana responded with just a hint of anger.

"I'm not lying, sugar," Lottie promised. "I knew this was coming, and I have some plans. I'm selling my house. It's too big for just Carrie and me, anyway. And a lawyer called last week. He said that Travis might have had some life insurance or investments or something, and there may be some money coming from that. We'll be okay, honey," Lottie repeated.

"But _I_ won't be," Tiana answered. She reached up and took the hand that was cupping her cheek, squeezing it gently. "I know there's a way to help us both," Tiana said, looking at Lottie with a hopeful expression. "Just keep coming to work while you give me a couple of days to figure it out. I _know_ I'll figure something out."

Lottie was helpless against the intent look Tiana was giving her, so she sighed and gave in. "All right, sugar. I'll give you a few days. But I won't let you drive this business into the river just for me. I worked too hard to keep it afloat," she said, a teasing smirk coming easily to her lips.

Tiana smiled back, relieved. "Fair enough," she said with a satisfied look. "Now you should be going over those books, and I had best be getting back to my kitchen," she said, squeezing Lottie's hands briefly before letting them go.

"Of course, boss," Lottie replied, and Tiana flashed her a dimpled smile before she left the room.

In spite of its inauspicious start, the day turned out to be a good one for Tiana's Palace. They had a steady stream of customers, and the restaurant kept busy all day, which was a welcome relief. At the end of the day, Tiana sent everyone home with a smile on her face, and still smiling, she drove the Packard home. Her smile only got wider when an unexpected, but very welcome face greeted her when she got home.

"Naveen!" she said happily, throwing her arms around him.

"Hello, my Queen," he answered with an affectionate smile, kissing her.

"We didn't expect you until next week," Tiana said, breathless from both the kiss and her excitement at seeing Naveen. "Louie Rae is over at Carrie's; I'll ring Lottie's house and tell her to come on home."

"That sounds perfect, but maybe you could hold off for a little while, hm?" Naveen asked slyly. "Give us some alone time?"

Tiana matched his smile and nodded, and it wasn't long before they were in their bedroom, their clothes shed as they moved together on their bed. It had been far too long for the both of them, and their need for each other made their movements almost frantic. After the first few rushed moments, though, things slowed down, and their coupling evolved from a frenzied fucking into a languid lovemaking. Tiana basked in their closeness and the love that flowed between them, gently urging Naveen on until they both cried out their release.

When the last of the aftershocks had faded, Naveen gathered Tiana up in his arms, and she contentedly rested on his chest. "It's good to have you home, honey," she murmured. "I missed you." Unexpectedly, the body beneath hers tensed, and Tiana looked up, only to find that Naveen wouldn't, or couldn't, quite meet her eyes. "What it is, Naveen?" she asked directly.

"Mother and Father, um, they have made it official that I am once again the next king of Maldonia," Naveen said haltingly. "Because of this, I need to go back to my country permanently. I came back early because we need to start making arrangements to move."

Any lassitude and contentment leftover from their lovemaking evaporated in an instant as Tiana sat up, her eyes blazing in anger. "We've had this discussion before, Naveen," she said sharply. "You already know that I don't want to leave New Orleans."

"Well, yes," Naveen admitted. "But that was when the restaurant was successful. Now, the restaurant is barely holding on, and when it goes under, this house goes with it. There doesn't seem to be much left for us here."

" _When_ it goes under?" Tiana demanded, and Naveen winced at the slip of his tongue. "What, _you've_ decided that it's no longer worth fighting for? I spent my morning laying people off in the middle of the Depression. That goes against everything that I am, Naveen. But I did it for the restaurant. I did it for us."

"No, you did it for you, for _your_ dream," Naveen countered sharply, and Tiana deflated.

"I thought it was _our_ dream," Tiana retorted, almost to the point of tears.

At her pain and sorrow, Naveen instantly regretted his words. "It _was_ our dream," he said regretfully. "But, I have found that _my_ dream has changed."

"Mine hasn't, Naveen," Tiana stated softly.

"I know," Naveen replied, just as softly.

"Then whose dream is more important?" Tiana asked, almost wistfully. "Whose do we follow?"

They both sank into silence at that, neither one having a ready answer. Finally, it was Tiana that spoke. "Maybe we stop being a 'we'," she offered sadly.

"You want to divorce?" Naveen asked, shocked.

"No, not divorce," Tiana said quickly. "I meant more like a separation. You've been gone a lot these last five years anyway, so this wouldn't be that different, just more permanent. You could go back to Maldonia without the pressure to come back, and Louisa and I would stay here. If things happens as you say, where I can't keep the restaurant afloat, then we would follow you. If it does become successful again, then, well, other decisions would have to be made."

Naveen looked at her sadly, but in his heart, he knew she was right, and though it seemed sudden, it really wasn't. They had been mostly apart for five years. Their dreams had diverged during that time, and it was going to make one of them deeply unhappy to make those dreams come back together again. Their only hope, sad as it was to admit, was to hope that one of their dreams died. But, until that happened, being apart was probably best. Otherwise, it wasn't fair to whichever one of them would have to compromise. "I think the separation is a good idea," he confessed reluctantly.

Tiana nodded and slipped from their bed, giving him a small kiss as she went to clean up. He followed her, and silently, they bathed and redressed. They were waiting for Louisa when she got home from Carrie's, and as gently as they could, they explained what was happening to their family. At some point they all broke down into tears, but none of them could find it in their hearts to call the decision a mistake. When the tears had been spent, Naveen kissed his wife and daughter goodbye with the promise he would see them again soon, and with a last look, he walked out of the door.

"I know it's late, but may I go to Carrie Rey's, Mama?" Louisa asked plaintively a few moments after the door had shut. "I don't really feel like being in this house right now."

"Of course you can, sugar," Tiana replied. "I'll even take you. I wouldn't mind to get out myself."

A few minutes in the Packard found them at Lottie's door, and after she took one look at both of their faces, she bellowed for Carrie Rey while dragging Tiana into the kitchen. After her daughter had collected her distraught best friend, Lottie took out two coffee mugs and the good bourbon from her cabinet, putting a bracing slug in each mug before handing one to Tiana. Tiana took a sip and winced slightly. Lottie calmly sipped her own bourbon, simply waiting until Tiana was ready to talk.

Tiana took another sip and sighed after she swallowed. "Naveen came home this afternoon," she explained. "He came with news that his parents made him Crown Prince again. He came home to take us both to Maldonia."

Lottie kept her face neutral for Tiana's sake, but inside she was terrified and seething all at once. Just the thought that Tiana was leaving chilled her in a way that she couldn't describe, and her anger at Naveen for taking her away would have incinerated him where he stood if he had been there. "I see," she said neutrally, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"I told him no," Tiana said, looking into her mug, and Lottie's heart gave a leap of joy that nearly tore the organ from her chest. "The restaurant is still my dream, Lottie, and I couldn't give it up. If it fails on its own, then it wasn't meant to be, and we will follow him. But, as long as it's open, I have to fight for that dream."

"And what did Naveen say?" Lottie prompted gently.

"He was understanding. He can't give up his dream of being king either," Tiana answered. "So, with neither one of us wanting to give up on our dreams, we decided that we should go our separate ways, at least for a little while."

"Oh, Tia honey," Lottie said sympathetically, getting up at once and putting her arms around Tiana, forgetting her own guilty joy in the face of her friend's pain. Tiana cried into her shoulder for a while, and Lottie just held her, soothing her as best she could. When her tears finally stopped, Lottie picked up their mugs and guided them to the couch. Tiana sank into it gratefully as she took her mug from Lottie.

"So what happens now, sugar?" Lottie asked.

"Things stay mostly the same, I guess," Tiana hypothesized. "Naveen has been in Maldonia for most of these last five years anyway."

"True," Lottie conceded. "Well, sugar, if there is any way I can help you, please let me know," she requested.

"You've already done a great deal just by being here," Tiana answered warmly. Lottie smiled at her, and Tiana smiled back. She took another sip from her mug and glanced around, letting the alcohol warm her. When her glances saw several moving boxes in the process of being filled, she turned back to Lottie with a question on her face.

"Like I mentioned this morning, sugar, Carrie Rey and I are moving," Lottie explained.

"You said you were selling the house, not that you had sold it," Tiana contradicted, and Lottie blushed at being caught. "Where are you moving to?" Tiana asked.

"A pretty little apartment down by the river," Lottie replied, trying to sound positive. "It's right near the Palace, so Louie Rae and Carrie Rey can still see one another, and I will be close to work." She smiled brightly, but Tiana saw right through it.

"You won't be happy in an apartment, Lottie," Tiana pointed out.

"Well, it's what I can afford, sugar, so it will have to do," Lottie replied as blithely as she could. "Unless of course, you would like to rent me one of those rooms above the Palace," she joked.

Tiana stopped short, her mug freezing between her lips as the sip she was taking was forgotten. "Lottie!" she gasped, setting her mug on the coffee table. "You are a genius!"

"I am?" the blonde asked quizzically, before she frowned. "I don't really want to live above the Palace, honey," she said quickly. "I was joking about that."

"I know," Tiana said with a roll of her eyes. "But you could come live with us. We have plenty of room, and the girls would love to live together."

"They would," Lottie allowed. "But I don't think that's such a good idea, Tia," she admitted.

"Why ever not?" Tiana insisted.

" _Because I've been in love with you since we were twelve, and you've just split from your husband,"_ was the answer that instantly came to Lottie's mind. Instead of saying everything, though, she went with the partial truth. "You just split from your husband, sugar," Lottie said. "I'm thinking you might need some time alone to work that out."

"Actually, I think I could work out things a lot better if my best friend was two doors down the hallway," Tiana replied with a smile. "And this way we could economize, and you wouldn't have to feel guilty that I didn't fire you. It's perfect, Lottie."

Lottie sighed, but there was no resisting that hopeful smile and the dimple that accompanied it. "All right," she acquiesced. "If it's all right with the girls." When the girls were called in and the inquiry about them living together was met with a joyful, ear-piercing scream from the both of them, Lottie knew she was licked. "You win, Tia," she said wryly, and Tiana smiled, suddenly feeling a bit of hope and happiness return after a very trying day.

1939 - 10 years later/10 years earlier

Tiana fussed with Louisa's collar, smoothing it out so it would be just so over her graduation gown. "It's fine, Mama," Louisa said in exasperation. "Mama Lottie and Carrie Rey are waiting for us."

"And I'm sure Lottie is fussing over Carrie just as much," Tiana retorted, giving the collar one last tweak. Louisa sighed and walked away, but Tiana caught her arm and pulled her back in for a hug. "I'm sorry I'm fussing, baby girl," she apologized. "But I just want everything to be perfect. I am so very, very proud of you."

"Thanks, Mama," Louisa said shyly. Tiana smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. They separated and went to the door, unsurprised to find Lottie and Carrie Rey waiting for them. The girls linked arms and bounded down the stairs, and with an emotional sigh, their mothers did the same. "Are we ready for our girls to be high school graduates, Tia?" Lottie said wistfully, squeezing Tiana's arm as she linked their elbows.

"Absolutely not," Tiana confirmed, causing Lottie to chuckle. "And I think we are even less prepared for them both to be college students next fall."

"Well, at least they are going to Xavier," Lottie pointed out. "They might be getting a dorm room and moving away from us, but at least they are still in the city."

"Thank heaven for small blessings," Tiana agreed.

"Mothers!" came the bellow from downstairs. "Quit waxing all nostalgic and get down here. Grandpa Eli and Grandma Eudora are waiting!"

"How in the world did we raise such pushy children?" Lottie sighed. Tiana raised an eyebrow, and Lottie could see her fighting back a smirk. "Not a word, Tiana Eudora Winfrey. Not a word," Lottie warned with a smirk of her own.

"I didn't say anything, sugar," Tiana protested, the smile forming.

"No, but your eyebrow did," Lottie grumbled, and Tiana laughed as they walked down the stairs.

The grounds at St. Marie's were lovely, and Tiana was sincerely glad they had been able to keep the girls in the school even as their fortunes had suffered. Tuition money for them both was the only thing she had ever asked of Naveen after he had left, and he had readily agreed, not wanting his royal-blooded daughter to attend public school. Since Louisa would never stay at St. Marie's when Carrie Rey could not, Naveen had paid for them both, which chafed at Lottie. Luckily, Travis hadn't been as inept of a businessman as he seemed, and eventually his investments started to pay off. Those investments, combined with rising prices for the commodities Big Daddy LaBouff had built his fortunes on, made Lottie obscenely wealthy again, and she eagerly started paying for both of the girls. There had been some talk of Lottie and Carrie moving out after their fortunes improved, but the conversation never seemed to get very far. They were a family now, a slightly-odd family, sure, but a family nonetheless.

The car, not the Packard but one of Big Daddy's grandest limousines, stopped in front of the grand steps to the school. The driver got out and opened the door, allowing the two graduates to exit first. When she saw who was waiting there for her, Louisa let out a squeal. "Daddy!" she cried, rushing over to hug him.

The rest of the family got out as the father and daughter greeted one another. "I wasn't quite sure he would make it today," Tiana murmured to Lottie. "With the increasing German aggression, things are troubled over in Europe."

"He loves his daughter, Tia," Lottie replied placidly. Because of his shared past with Tiana, he still wasn't Lottie's favorite person, but Lottie had come to respect him. "Even with the troubles your marriage had, nothing will ever change that," she said with a smile at her adopted daughter's happiness.

"True," Tiana conceded. Naveen and Louisa turned towards them, and Naveen stepped forward to greet his ex-wife.

"You are gorgeous as always, my Queen," Naveen said, kissing her hand.

"And you are still an inveterate flirt," Tiana countered playfully.

"Ah, yes, that I am," Naveen confirmed with a laugh, offering his arm. She took it, and they all headed towards the auditorium.

"How is the restaurant?" Naveen asked, opening up a causal conversation.

"Doing very well," Tiana replied. "We are thinking of opening up a second space, maybe a patisserie."

"That is wonderful; I am glad it is thriving, Tiana, truly," Naveen said, and Tiana could tell he was sincere.

"How are things in Maldonia?" Tiana asked.

"Unsettled," Naveen said truthfully. "In fact, we need to discuss some things while I am here, but we will not even think about it until we are done celebrating."

Tiana was apprehensive about what it was that Naveen needed to talk about, but she agreed with him that it could wait. "Until later then," she agreed.

The graduation went off without a hitch, and as salutatorian, Carrie Rey did an excellent job of welcoming the esteemed guests. Louisa, taking after her Mama, sang one of the best versions of the Star Spangled Banner that anyone had ever heard, and everyone was proud of their graduates. After they received their diplomas and mingled at the school party, everyone in the family returned to their cars and went back to Tiana's Palace.

The staff already had all of the food out and waiting, so the party for the girls and their friends started right away. The band played as people ate, drank and danced, and it wasn't until late in the night that Tiana, Naveen, and Louisa found themselves alone. Sinking exhaustedly into a chair, Louisa got right to the point. "I overheard you talking to Mama, Daddy," she said. "What did you need to discuss with us?"

Naveen looked surprised, but he shrugged and answered her question. "Parliament is uncomfortable having any royal family members away from Maldonia with all of the unrest in Europe," he said. "They and all my advisors want me to bring you home with me."

"That makes absolutely no sense," Tiana cut in immediately, her protective instincts flaring at the twin thoughts of Louisa being in danger and/or being taken away from her. "The United States is clear on the other side of the world from the conflict. She is much safer here."

"But with the looming war, Maldonia can't spare any men or expense to protect her," Naveen explained. "We can protect her if she is in Maldonia."

"Why do I need protection?" Louisa asked reasonably. "I understand that things are different over there, now, but does that really mean that I'm suddenly in danger over here?"

"Well, not specifically, but Parliament is worried," Naveen admitted.

"Well, then, until there is a specific threat, I am staying right here in New Orleans," Louisa decided, and the square set of her shoulders showed everyone that her opinion wouldn't change. "I'm not giving up college so I can run and hide."

"But Princess," Naveen pleaded.

Louisa looked at him, and her rigid posture relaxed a bit. "I know you are worried, Daddy, but my life is here," she said softly.

"I just want you safe, Princess," Naveen beseeched.

"I understand that, Daddy, but I can't up and move when I have my whole life planned out," Louisa said firmly. She thought for a couple of moments before an idea came to mind. "What about if I came back to Maldonia with you for the summer?" she offered. "And, if it goes well, maybe every summer, so that I get to spend some time with you while you're keeping me safe?"

Naveen smiled as widely as Tiana had ever seen. "That would be wonderful, Princess," he gushed.

"Mama, would you be okay with it?" Louisa asked Tiana.

"I think it's a lovely idea, sugar," Tiana replied proudly.

"May I bring Carrie Rey?" Louisa asked her father.

"Of course, if she wants to come, and if Lottie says it's okay," Naveen answered with a grin.

"If I say what is okay?" Lottie inquired, coming down the stairs with a sleepy Carrie Rey in tow.

"The Maldonian government is worried about Louisa's safety," Tiana explained. "They want her to be in Maldonia so they can keep her safe."

A flicker of something passed over Lottie's face before years of training in social etiquette took over. "Well, isn't that lovely," she said, sounding sincere, and only Tiana knew that Lottie was very upset under her politely-pleased façade. "But why ever would you need my permission?" she asked graciously.

"Because Louie Rae doesn't go practically anywhere without Carrie Rey, and the girls would be going together. It would just be for the summer," Tiana answered. Lottie's expression didn't change, or at least it didn't seem to, but again Tiana alone caught the subtle shift that indicated Lottie was relaxing.

Carrie Rey woke up instantly. "May I go, Mama? Please?" she begged.

"Of course, sugar," Lottie said instantly. "Just as long as y'all are back in time to get ready for college." Carrie Rey hugged her mother in thanks and then went to chatter with her best friend. "Well, I think we should probably head home for the night," Lottie suggested, pretending to be calm even as her whole body was still buzzing from her earlier upset.

"I just want to check a few more things here," Tiana said, unsettled from the tension she could still feel coming from Lottie. "Naveen? Could you take the girls home? Lottie can give me a ride home."

"Of course, Tiana," he said, happily unaware of any unpleasantness. The girls, too, seemed unaware, and they kissed their mothers cheerfully before they left with Naveen.

When the door shut, Tiana rounded on Lottie. "What's wrong, sugar?" she asked urgently. "Please tell me."

For a long time, Lottie didn't say anything. She was trying to figure out how to be truthful without revealing too much. Finally she took a breath and told the almost-honest truth. "When you said Louie Rae was going to Maldonia, all I could think was that my family was being torn apart," she admitted, her voice heavy with emotion. "All I could picture was one of my baby girls being taken away from me, and you following soon thereafter. My heart couldn't take it if that happened, Tia. Not now, not when we've been a family for so long." Lottie swallowed thickly and looked up at Tiana, fearful that she'd revealed too much.

It was Tiana's turn to be silent as she processed what her best friend had just said. They all thought of themselves as a family, so that was no shock, but the emotion behind Lottie's statement was threatening to tear Tiana's heart in two. She just sounded so _broken_ , a word that Tiana had never ever, not once, thought of using in regards to Lottie. The thought that she could cause Lottie that much pain sent a jolt through Tiana, and she found herself fighting back tears. She owed Lottie so much, and the last thing she ever wanted to do was cause Lottie pain. Not knowing what else to do, Tiana opened her arms, and Lottie collapsed into them sobbing.

"Shh, sugar," Tiana soothed, rubbing her back. "I would never let Naveen take Louisa permanently. I would never let him break up our family."

"You promise, Tia?" Lottie pleaded piteously, stepping back to look up at her.

"I promise, sugar," Tiana swore. "I love you too much to ever cause you that kind of pain."

Lottie responded by hugging Tiana fiercely, and Tiana hugged back, trying to mask her utter astonishment at what she had just said. Tiana knew she loved Lottie, but the way the words had come out of her mouth sounded like she was _in love_ with Lottie. Tiana's brain continued to whirl as she comforted the blonde, and the more she thought about their years together, the more Tiana realized the words had come out _exactly_ as she had intended. She _was_ in love with Lottie, and now she had absolutely no idea what to do about it.

1944 - 15 years later/5 years earlier

Louisa burst into the house almost breathless, setting down her suitcase as she looked frantically around. "Mama? Mama Lottie? Carrie Rey?" she called worriedly.

"In here, sugar," Tiana called from the kitchen, and Louisa rushed through the front room as fast as she could. Mama was sitting at the table, and Mama Lottie was wrapped up in her arms, crying softly in a way that broke Louisa's heart.

Carrie Rey wasn't sobbing like her mother, but tears still streamed down her cheeks as she looked at Louisa. Louisa grabbed the nearest chair and pulled it close, wrapping Carrie Rey in the strongest hug she could manage. "I came home as fast as I could, sugar," she whispered. "As soon as I got the telegram, I bought a ticket back. I'm so sorry about Grandpa Eli, and I am even sorrier I wasn't here for you."

"You are here now, so hush," Carrie Rey whispered back. Louisa did as she was told, practically pulling Carrie Rey into her lap. Carrie offered no protest, and Louisa soothingly rocked her back and forth. Eventually, Louisa's comfort staunched the flow of Carrie's tears, and she pulled back a bit. "I'm sorry we had to call you home from your culinary schooling in New York, sugar," Carrie Rey apologized softly.

"If I don't get to apologize for not being here, then you _certainly_ don't get to apologize for _that_ ," Louisa said sternly. "I was ready to come home anyway." She glanced over at their mothers, but neither one was paying any attention, so Louisa took a risk and placed a small kiss on Carrie Rey's lips. "I missed you too much," she confessed quietly.

"I missed you, too, sugar, so much," Carrie Rey murmured back, quickly giving Louisa a return kiss on the forehead.

The four ladies sat in their grief over Big Daddy for a few minutes more, until Lottie roused herself. "The funeral parlor folks are coming 'round at 2," she announced. "We should all get ready. Carrie Rey, could you please let your sister up so that I can give my other daughter a hug?" she asked with a watery smile.

Carrie nodded and slid off Louisa's lap, and Louisa instantly rose to give her other Mama a hug. "I'm so sorry, Mama Lottie," she said, holding the other woman tight.

"It's all right, sugar," Lottie assured her. "Big Daddy was old, and his body just gave out on him. It couldn't be helped. I will just miss him something fierce."

"We all will," Louisa agreed, and Lottie gave her a squeeze before the older woman let the younger go.

Just as Lottie had said, the funeral parlor people called on them about 2PM, and after their visit, the next several days devolved into a whirlwind of visitors, food, and get-toegthers with polite chatter and grief. Normally, Lottie would have been the social doyenne, but Louisa didn't want something as trite as social obligations to further burden her grieving Mama, so she took over. Thus, Louisa, skillfully trained by Lottie and by being at court in Maldonia, was a wonder, taking charge of most situations and making sure everything was running smoothly.

As she worked to keep everything on track, Louisa also kept an eye out on her loved ones. She had missed them all terribly, even though she had only been gone a few months. It was a few months that had opened her eyes to a few things, though, the most significant being that she was utterly in love with Carrie Rey. They had always been close as children, and ever since Mama and Mama Lottie had moved in together, they had rarely been apart. Being separated from Carrie had hurt almost physically, and after a few talks with her newfound bohemian chef friends and an eye-opening visit to an all-ladies social club, Louisa had finally figured her feelings out. So, thankfully, had Carrie Rey during her first visit to Louisa in the Big Apple, which was why they had exchanged soft, stolen kisses at the kitchen table and continued to exchange them whenever they could.

Now, though, with her newfound worldliness, personal experience and careful observation of her Mamas, Louisa saw something else. She saw herself and Carrie Rey, only twenty years older. Everything she saw pass between them, whether words, gestures or unspoken communication, shouted to the rooftops that they loved each other as something far more than friends. It was even worse when they were looking at each other while the other was unawares. Their looks of longing and affection telegraphed a love that they both obviously shared but that they both obviously thought was unrequited. Louisa grew exasperated watching them, but she kept it between herself and Carrie Rey until life had somewhat returned to normal after Big Daddy's services. Then, one day when she and her Mama were finally alone, Louisa pounced.

"Mama, may I ask you a question?" Louisa asked, clutching her coffee cup as she sat down.

"Of course, sugar, you can ask me anything, you know that," Tiana replied unconcernedly.

"Just how long have you been in love with Mama Lottie?" Louisa asked casually, her voice even and nonjudgmental. The sip of coffee Tiana had been drinking ended up being spat out on the kitchen table's top, and Louisa unhurriedly got up and got a towel from the dish drainer. As Tiana sputtered, Louisa cleaned up the coffee, and when she was done, she looked steadily at her Mama. Tiana didn't meet her eyes for a while, but eventually she looked up.

"Of course I love her, but I'm not _in love_ with her," Tiana lied, wincing when Louisa's response was a pointedly-raised eyebrow and a skeptical glare. Tiana wilted and sighed. "I can't be in love with her, Louie Rae," Tiana said dejectedly. "Even if we both weren't women, she's white and I'm black. A relationship like that doesn't work in the South."

"It works perfectly well for Carrie and me," Louisa responded, her voice betraying none of the fear she felt about revealing her biggest secret to her mother.

 _That_ statement gave Tiana pause, as could be expected. "You and Carrie Rey?" she asked tentatively.

"Have discovered our love runs much deeper than friendship, Mama," Louisa confirmed. "I love her, and I want to spend my life with her."

Tiana sighed, and Louisa prepared herself for the worst. "It won't be easy for the two of you, baby girl," Tiana said quietly, surprising Louisa by expressing worry instead of anger or recrimination. "Not here in the South, not anywhere, really."

"We know; we've talked about it," Louisa answered. "But we want to try, Mama. We love each other too much not to."

"I wish I had your courage and determination, baby," Tiana murmured so quietly that Louisa barely heard.

"You don't need _my_ courage, Mama," Louisa replied with an affectionate smile. "Because I'll never be as brave as you. You're a divorced colored woman who owns one of the most successful businesses in New Orleans. Divorced. Colored. Woman," Louisa repeated. "Anyone of those things should have precluded you from success, but here you stand. Why would you want to have my determination when it was you that showed me what true determination is?" Seeing she was getting somewhere with her Mama by the look of hope that Tiana suddenly had, Louisa decided to make her final point and inject some humor at the same time. "Besides, Mama, you have already been living with Mama Lottie for nigh onto ten years. Unless you two start kissing in the middle of the French Quarter, I don't think people will even notice anything, even if you start sleeping in the same room," she concluded with a smirk.

"Probably not," Tiana allowed with a small smile, before the smile fell from her face. "But it doesn't matter anyway," she said disappointedly. "Lottie doesn't love me like that."

"Like what, sugar?" a very familiar voice inquired, and Louisa and Tiana turned to see Carrie Rey and Lottie coming into the kitchen. Tiana couldn't find her voice to answer, so Lottie answered for her. "Like a best friend? Like a sister?" Lottie asked rhetorically, coming over to stand in front of Tiana. Lottie used her hand to gently force Tiana to look her in the eye. "Or like a lover?" Lottie whispered, tears forming in her eyes as she lost the battle to keep her long-buried feelings hidden. Tiana gasped softly at all of the emotions she could see in Lottie's eyes, and her own tears started forming. "I love you like all of those things, Tia," Lottie concluded, the tears falling freely now. "I love you like a wife."

Seeing they had accomplished what they had set out to do, Louisa and Carrie Rey quietly slipped from the room, and after a brief, quiet conversation, they left the house entirely, knowing their moms needed privacy. Their mothers didn't even notice; Lottie was too focused on Tiana, and Tiana was trying to find something to say. Only one question came to Tiana's mind, though. "For how long?" she choked out.

"Since we were twelve," Lottie answered embarrassedly, casting her gaze to the floor.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Tiana demanded, almost angrily.

"Are you actually asking me that, Tiana Eudora Winfrey?" Lottie snapped back, her own anger rising at her unstable emotions. "How in the world was I supposed to tell you that I was a freak of nature who harbored these unnatural feelings for you? How was I to know you wouldn't hate me for it and kick me out of your life?"

"You didn't," Tiana allowed, her irrational anger subsiding somewhat.

"Exactly," Lottie stated triumphantly. "And it's not just us both being women, sugar. We live in the South; our different races were always a problem for me, too," she admitted reluctantly.

Tiana's blood ran cold, and her anger returned. Lottie had always treated her as an equal, but apparently racial prejudices ran deeper than friendship or even love. "I see," she spat, her anger coming out with quiet force. "There's no way you could allow yourself to be in love with a _colored_ woman."

"No, I couldn't!" Lottie shot back. "Not when the colored woman I love has every right to despise me!" Seeing Tiana's shocked face, Lottie tried her best to explain, even though she felt like she was destroying her relationship with Tiana with every word. "How can you love me, Tia?" she asked sadly. "My family is in _cotton_. We were one of the largest slave-owning families in Louisiana before the Civil War. Even now, I am sure we have sharecroppers working their fingers to the bone for the pittance we pay them. How can you love someone who belongs to that kind of family?"

Tiana's anger fled in the face of Lottie's distress and her surprising words. "I fell in love with _you_ , Lottie, not your family," she said gently.

"But I'm still a part of all of that," Lottie protested. "I'm still a part of the system that says you can't drink from the same water fountain as I do; I'm still a part of the prejudices that made it necessary for a successful businesswoman to come to an insipid white woman to get her brilliant daughter into a private school; I'm still a part of a society that, even if we could get married, would think that you are lower than me and not worthy of being joined to 'white' blood. How can you love me when even for all of my wealth and supposed power, I can't do _anything_ about _any_ of it?"

Lottie turned to walk away, but Tiana grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a tight embrace. Lottie struggled for a bit, but Tiana was stronger, and at last Lottie relaxed. When Lottie had calmed down, Tiana spoke, figuring Lottie would be more apt to listen now. "I love you because you are the best friend I have ever had in my entire life," Tiana said, kissing Lottie's forehead. "I love you because you have never treated me as anything but your equal," she continued, kissing Lottie's right cheek. "I love you because you apparently care so much for me that you want to overthrow society for me," Tiana further explained, kissing her left cheek. "And finally, I love you because you love my daughter like your own, and we have made a life here together in this house because of you and your compassion and love. I don't care about anything else right now. Not everything we have stacked up against us, not the color of our skin and all of the baggage that comes with it. I just know that I love you, Charlotte Elizabeth LaBouff," Tiana concluded, reaching down and kissing Lottie on the lips like she had been dreaming of doing for years.

There was really no word for what Tiana felt in that moment, but the word that came closest was "electricity". She had obviously kissed before, and when she had first fallen in love with Naveen years ago, his kisses did a mighty fine job of making her body sing. As their relationship grew, his kisses inspired love, not passion, but her body always responded. Her body had never, however, responded like _this_. Every nerve seemed to be firing, and every part of her skin was sensitized to the touch of Lottie's body as it crushed against hers in their close embrace. Tiana's body begged her to deepen the kiss and to get closer until there was no space left between them, so she did, and Lottie whimpered as Tiana gripped her tighter and opened her mouth to slide their tongues together.

Lottie heard herself whimper, and her pride was ashamed. The rest of her mind and body couldn't have cared less, though, as her hands reached up to wrap around Tiana's neck. She had been dreaming of this moment for so long, and truly, it didn't disappoint. What Lottie had always known was love was also passion, apparently, and she was thrilled. From the way her hands clutched at Lottie and the way her mouth was devouring Lottie's, Tiana actually _wanted_ Lottie as much as Lottie wanted her, and it put Lottie's last fear to rest. Tiana was really, truly in love with her, with all of the connotations that the phrase carried with it. Love, desire, longing; all of it was there, and with utmost joy, Lottie let herself sink deeper into Tiana's kiss.

The jarring sound of the telephone ringing on the wall startled them both, and they broke away from each other with a gasp. Pausing just a minute to catch her breath, Tiana went over to answer it, and after the operator connected them, Tiana heard Louisa's voice coming through the handset. "Carrie Rey and I just wanted to let you and Mama Lottie know that we are staying over at Grandmama Eudora's tonight," Louisa told her mother. "We thought you two needed some privacy to talk some things out."

"You two had this planned, didn't you?" Tiana asked accusingly, and Louisa could hear the wry tone to her voice.

"Not the staying with Grandmama part," Louisa answered truthfully. "But with the way you two were looking at one another, Carrie Rey and I thought it best to preserve our childhood."

Tiana could hear the smirk, and she blushed. "Enough of your sass, young lady," she chastised.

Louisa laughed in response. "Am I wrong?" she challenged good-naturedly.

"No," Tiana admitted curtly, thinking of the clinch the telephone had interrupted and the plans she had for the evening now she knew they were alone.

"Well then, have a good night, you two," Louisa said slyly. "We will see you for lunch tomorrow at the Palace."

"That you will," Tiana agreed. "Tell Carrie Rey that we love her, and we thank you both. We will see you tomorrow."

"Will do. Bye, Mama," Louisa said.

"Bye, sugar," Tiana replied and hung up the phone. "Our darling daughters are at their grandmother's house because they thought we needed some privacy," she told Lottie.

"From your end of the conversation, that's what I figured," Lottie replied before she hesitantly came over and slid her arms around Tiana. She blushed at what she wanted to say, but her outspoken nature made her say it anyway. "Since we are alone, will you let me make love to you, Tia?" she asked tentatively, and Tiana took in a sharp breath. She looked at Lottie and made an instantaneous decision.

"No," Tiana said firmly, and Lottie started to pull away, cursing herself for her impetuousness. Tiana didn't let her get far, tightening her arms around Lottie and bending slightly to whisper in her ear. "I will not let you make love to me until after I have seen and worshipped every last inch of you with my hands, mouth and lips. When my name has fallen from your lips in ecstasy, and you are trembling on my bed covered in sweat, then and only then will I consider myself prepared to have you love me," Tiana husked, and Lottie cleared her throat in an attempt to quell her rising arousal.

"Well, all right then, sugar," she squeaked out, and Tiana smiled at her, lightening the mood. She didn't let go of Lottie though, instead keeping a hold of her hand and leading her upstairs to the master bedroom. They undressed each other slowly, reverently, and when all of their clothes were off, they took long moments just to look. They were both in their forties and had given birth; certain things were not as taut and firm as they had been in their youth. Not a bit of that mattered, though; they both thought their partner was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen as they lowered themselves onto the sheets.

Just as Tiana had promised, she claimed and worshipped every part of Lottie's body, using her hands and mouth to good effect. When she had Lottie on the brink of desperation, she finally stopped wandering, deftly capturing Lottie's breast and nipple in her mouth as her fingers of her left hand slid deep into Lottie's welcoming slickness. Lottie groaned in relief and pleasure, and Tiana smiled as she set up a slow, deep rhythm that she reinforced with her thigh. Their bodies rocked together, finding a shared pace, and Tiana's mouth left Lottie's breast to place kisses on her collarbone and neck. When she felt Lottie grab her hips to make her rock faster and harder, Tiana knew they were both close, so she increased her pace and suspended herself above Lottie. "I want to hear you, baby," Tiana demanded throatily, locking her eyes with Lottie's. "I want to know when you become mine forever." At those erotic words, Lottie felt herself letting go, and she did as Tiana asked, vocalizing her pleasure with gasps of Tiana's name interspersed with blasphemies and curses. Seeing Lottie come undone undid Tiana, and she too went over the edge, crying out Lottie's name in reverential ecstasy.

When they both stopped trembling, Tiana carefully collapsed by Lottie's side, and Lottie instantly snuggled up to her, kissing and tasting any skin she could reach as she tried to process all that was going through her mind, body and heart. Finding that she couldn't adequately express herself, Lottie went with what was simplest. "I love you, Tia, and I've always been yours," she said, knowing it was the god's-honest truth.

"I love you too, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that," Tiana apologized with a hint of regret.

Lottie looked up. Seeing the remorse on Tiana's face, Lottie sat up, reaching out and smoothing the lines of worry away. "Everything happens in its own time, sugar," she said serenely, kissing Tiana softly. "And I am planning to spend the rest of my life with you grateful that it happened at all. _When_ it happened doesn't make a lick of difference." Tiana smiled at that, and they kissed some more, until Tiana felt a tug and unexpectedly found herself on her back. "Now then," Lottie said brightly. "Since all of your requirements have been fulfilled, I do believe it is my turn," she declared mischievously, and Tiana found herself smiling as Lottie straddled her and bent to give her a kiss.

1949 - Present Day

Tiana looked down as a little whirlwind of kinetic energy bumped into her evening gown-covered legs and bounced off, landing with a thump on the parquet floor of Maldonia's Grand Ballroom. "Careful, there, honey," she advised, helping the little blonde to stand. "You don't want to hurt yourself."

"Bertie!" an exasperated female voice called out. "I told you to be more careful." Both Tiana and the presumed Bertie turned to find an aristocratically-dressed redhead coming towards them. "I'm very sorry," the woman apologized. "She takes after me in all of the worst ways."

"No harm done, sugar," Tiana assured her with a wink towards the little girl, and the little girl brightened at her accent. "You must be American!" she decided happily. "And if you're American, you must be Princess Louisa's mama!" she concluded.

"Well, there are several of us Americans here, but yes, little darling, I'm Louisa's Mama," Tiana confirmed, charmed at the child's ebullience. "And who are you?"

"Forgive our rudeness, your Highness," her mother sighed. "We haven't introduced ourselves properly. I'm Duchess Anna Schrader of Arendelle, and this handful is my youngest daughter Bertha. We call her Bertie for short."

"Very nice to meet you both," Tiana said sincerely, taking the offered hand and shaking it genteelly. "I'm Tiana Winfrey, and please just call me Tiana. The newly-crowned King and I are long since divorced, and I'm just a restaurant owner from New Orleans. I have no claim to any titles."

Anna was about to say something when a golden-haired blonde stepped up to Tiana's side. "Who are your new friends, sugar?" Lottie asked Tiana, handing her secret wife a drink as she smiled at Anna and Bertie.

"Well, this is Her Grace, Duchess Anna Schrader of Arendelle, and this is her lovely daughter Bertha, Bertie for short," Tiana explained.

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, Your Grace. My name is Charlotte LaBouff, but please call me Lottie," Lottie said, holding out her hand. When Anna shook it, she turned her attention to Bertie. "And of course, I am pleased to meet you too, Miss Bertie," she added. The little girl beamed, causing her blue-green eyes to twinkle.

"Please call me Anna," Anna requested with a smile, liking these ladies already. "I'm not really aristocracy. I'm just a farm girl who fell in love with the right person."

"Well, technically, my love, you were a farm girl who failed at being a nun, who then fell in love with the right person," a new voice pointed out with just a touch of humor. The group turned to see a finely-dressed naval officer accompanied by a much-younger redhead.

Anna sighed. "And you just adore bringing that up," Anna muttered. "Ladies, this is my wife, Admiral Elsa Schrader. She _is_ actually royalty, and a Baroness, even if she can be a pain at times. This is also our second-youngest daughter, Marguerite. We call her Maggie."

Tiana and Lottie paused at the words "Admiral" and "wife", but one was more significant than the other. "You two are married? _Legally_ married?" Tiana asked quizzically.

The Admiral and her wife glanced at each other before taking a long look at Tiana and Lottie. "As are you, are you not?" Elsa asked curiously, having assumed they were a long-married couple from the moment she walked up.

"Um, no," Lottie said with a nervous laugh. She thought about leaving it there, but something about these ladies gave her permission to say more. "Our kind aren't welcomed in America," she explained. "As far as anyone knows, we are just longtime friends. Even our friendship is somewhat controversial because Tia is black and I am white."

Anna frowned. "Well, that is just about the stupidest thing I think I've ever heard," she stated with dismay. "So if you two would like to be married, come to Arendelle. We would welcome you." Elsa nodded her agreement, but their conversation was halted by the start of the ceremony to celebrate the ascension of King Naveen I to his throne.

Later that night, when they were safely ensconced in the massive bedroom and bed Naveen had provided for them, Lottie turned to Tiana. "To think, we could actually be _married_ , Tia," she said wistfully.

"That would be something," Tiana agreed, before she unexpectedly captured Lottie in an embrace. "But we'll see. Right now, I am pretty happy even without that."

"Me too, sugar," Lottie answered lovingly, reaching out to give Tiana a kiss.

They made love slowly, tenderly, and when Tiana's mouth started to map Lottie's skin, she thought about happiness. People like her -colored, female, just this side of queer- weren't supposed to get their happy endings, at least not in God-fearing 20th Century White America. But, with her hands buried in grey-streaked yellow curls and her lips caressing the milky-white breast of the woman she lived for, Tiana had found her Heaven on Earth, her very own happy ending, and there was no one that could surpass her joy.


End file.
